Fulfilling Promises
by Vulcan Halps
Summary: Just a short look at Ga Eul and Yi Jeong after he comes back


She asked the kids to work on their projects for a moment and they stepped out into the hall. Her gaze wouldn't quite meet his when she looked up at him. "When did you get back?"

He glanced at his watch. "An hour ago." He smiled as he watched her features break out into an involuntary smile, until she suddenly frowned.

"You just got off a ten hour flight and you came here," she asked concerned. "You should go home and rest."

He smirked at her concern and looked through the door behind her. Her class wasn't paying attention to their work. "You have half a day left?" he asked nodding his head toward the room behind her so she'd know what he was asking about.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Good, I'll pick you up then." He turned to head back out. Woobin had sent him the directions so they could spoil Jun Pyo's proposal.

But she grabbed his arm. "Wait, sunbae. The kids, they were just…"

Holding back a smile, he took her hand from his arm and held it a moment. "I've waited four years to have this conversation again. This time I get to talk first." Ga Eul fell silent. "And I will after I pick you up."

Again she nodded and pulled her hand away from his. "I should get back to my class." She turned to head back into the room.

"Keep your phone on. Jan Di will want to call you." Ga Eul spun around. "I'm not the only one to come back today."

-x-x-

Ga Eul wasn't entirely certain was she expected but Yi Jeong returned for her at the end of the school day as he promised. He had come to see her first when he returned as he promised. So far he had fulfilled his promises, but he hadn't promised anything more.

Sighing she headed towards him, he raised his hand in a two finger wave as he caught sight of her. He was leaning casually against his Lexus as if willing to wait for her all afternoon. Still uncertain, Ga Eil headed towards him. She couldn't help but smile even though she didn't know what to hope. Four years was a long time, Ga Eul hoped she was important enough to still be friends after such a long time, but he had implied more at the kiln. Would time have made that implication strong or weakened it?

As she approached him, he stood upright and faced her. She smiled and said, "There is something I should have told you before." She watched as his Casanova mask slipped into place. At the sight of his forced smile Ga Eul held back.

But after a moment he persisted. "What did you want to say?"

"I forgot to say. I'm glad you back." She smiled, honest and true, because she couldn't help but be thrilled that he was back. Though she also wished his Casanova mask would go back into the bottle.

A genuine smile broke through his façade. And the sight of it gave Ga Eul enough courage to step forward and hug him. She surprised even herself so she certainly surprised him. She hadn't planned on hugging him and she wouldn't have if she hadn't realized with that smile how much she'd truly missed him. Even so she planned on only hugging him for a moment, but his arm repeated the gesture and wrapped around her.

It was just a hug she told herself calmly. Friends hug, she added to her mental mantra. She didn't want to get herself worked up over something that was potentially nothing. After all he said he wanted to talk first and she would wait for him, she owed him that after he kept his promise.

Yi Jeong rested his chin on top of her head nestling her closer to him. She took a deep breath and wondered if Yi Jeong would be okay with standing together like this for the rest of the day or at least another hour. But too soon—it seemed—he pulled up his head. "We should get going."

Releasing him, Ga Eul sighed. Yi Jeong dropped his arms from her as well but as he stuck his hands in his pockets he leaned closer to her and dropped his mouth to her ear. "We're drawing a crowd."

She waited until he pulled away from her again and opened the car door for her. As she got it, she glanced over at the mothers/nannies who were collecting the children from school. Several were gawking. Ga Eul processed what had happened between her and Yi Jeong. It was just a hug perfectly normal public display of friendship. But as a teacher she had to consider how things looked. After all she had instigated the hug and even though it had seemed short they were most likely holding each other for longer than was strictly appropriate and on top of all that he was the F4's infamous Casanova.

As Yi Jeong got in and started the engine, Ga Eul asked, "Where are we going?"

"To dinner with the gang," Yi Jeong answered.

Ga Eul nodded. Jan di had called her about the proposal and the congratulatory dinner that night. But looking at the car's clock, she frowned. "We're going to be early," she assessed out loud.

He looked over at her and smiled. "We have a stop to make first." When he paused she nodded to show she was willing to go along. "I made a promise."

"You already kept your promise."

But he just shook his head a smile on his face. "This one I made to myself."

-x-x-

Ga Eul didn't seem overly surprised when he pulled up in front of the long staircase. It was where they had last spoken on the subject and he figured it would be the best place to end it. As they got out of the car, Ga Eul looked up, her eyes shifting slowly from step to step. Yi Jeong watched her silently for a long moment.

Then he stepped forward. Taking her hand, he threaded his fingers through hers. Looking back at her for a moment he wordless nodded towards the stair. She walked in step with him as they climbed until together they stopped standing on a step high on the stair at a point engrained in his mind. He glanced at Ga Eul and found that she was half turned from him looking down the stairs.

Part of him was grateful because he didn't think he could look at her and get this out. He was pretty sure he was only going to have one chance to get this right. "Ga Eul," he said softly, "Did you mean what you said here that day?" He knew he didn't have to elaborate.

"I did mean it at the time," she answered him without looking at him. "Eun Chae teacher really did tell me that she was able to let you go after she tried her best and I really was grateful to you for allowing me to try."

Yi Jeong nodded even though she couldn't see. "But?" he prodded hoping there was something more.

"But I wasn't entirely honest. My words implied that after trying I like my teacher was ready to let you go." She was still refusing even to glance at him and Yi Jeong was forced to shift until he could see her profile. "I knew I wasn't ready to let go. I suppose that's because unlike teacher I didn't really try my hardest. When it finally came down to it, I didn't risk everything. I'd rather have you as a friend then not have you in my life at all. I was a coward, afraid to lose you. So I endeavored to shut off my feelings and remain your friend."

For a moment Yi Jeong remained silent as he processed her revelations. At length he looked over at her. "Ga Eul," he said but she was still refusing to look at him. So he took a step down and stood in front of her so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. "I have one more question."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath obviously try to school those expressive features of hers into submission. Finally she looked at him and nodded. So he asked, "Have you found him? Your soulmate?"

Four years ago when he had told her he was leaving he mentioned her soulmate, he still hadn't had the courage to tell her what he wanted to say. He hadn't had the confidence in himself to ask her to wait for him. This time even though part of him was nervous, he knew the answer. She couldn't have found her soulmate, because he had been away from her trying to be a man worthy of her.

She smiled. "I've been waiting for him to find me."

"He didn't deserve you then," he told her. He meant to continue, to tell her that he was sorry he left her, but he needed to fix his own life before he could make her a part of it. But she didn't give him the chance.

She interrupted him. "Who says?" Her defiance hadn't diminished in four years and for that alone he wanted to kiss her, but first he had his part to play.

"He says," he fired back at her as if really arguing.

"Well, you're wrong," she retorted before realizing what she said. After a moment of stunned silence, she smiled and said, "Someday you're going to have to teach me how to do that."

He smiled and feigned confusion. "Do what?"

"Get people to tell you something they don't want you to know." She tilted her head and Yi Jeong predicted she must be a good teacher both authoritative and kind. Still he wasn't a kindergartner.

His real smile came out. "It really only works with you."


End file.
